ED 'Incheon Declaration'

Seoul, Tokyo ought to keep cultural exchanges intact

South Korea, Japan and China adopted the “Incheon Declaration,” Friday, that could pave the way for increased cooperation in culture and tourism in East Asia. The culture ministers of the three neighboring countries issued the declaration at the end of the 11th annual cultural ministerial meeting in Incheon.

It is meaningful that the three countries have agreed to work together to promote youth exchanges, tackle climate change and aging societies, and beefing up cooperation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. They also agreed to push for joint cultural programs on the occasion of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The Incheon Declaration draws special attention as it comes amid escalating diplomatic and trade disputes between Seoul and Tokyo. It is encouraging to hear that the ministers of South Korea and Japan exchanged opinions in a warm atmosphere in the gathering unlike at last month's trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Beijing during which the atmosphere was said to be chilly.

Yet it is difficult to expect this slight sign of reconciliation in the cultural sector to prompt South Korea and Japan, which have confronted each other while fiercely shifting the responsibility for their worst relations in decades to each other, to change course overnight. Nevertheless, it is essential for the two neighbors to refrain from escalating the crisis and keep their communication channels open.

Since July, when Japan imposed trade restrictions on its exports of high-tech materials that South Korean companies need to produce semiconductors and displays, ties have soured drastically. Nevertheless, there are few, if any, who would oppose continuous cultural exchanges.

No doubt sensible citizens of South Korea and Japan believe that the two countries should avoid stimulating national sentiment against each other and take a cool-headed posture by decoupling politics from the economy and culture. Hopefully, the two countries will find a clue to the resolution of their conflict through continuous cultural exchanges.